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FACING 
PLATE  PAGE 

XII.  View  in  the  forest  on  Barro  Colorado  Island 148 

Base  of  plant  of  Renealmia  aromatica,  showing  the 
inflorescences 148 

XIII.  Ophiomeris  panamensis,  at  left,  and  Leiphaimos  albus .  .    150 
Apodanthes     Flacourtiae,     growing     on     trunk      of 

Xylosma  Hemsleyana 150 

XIV.  Trunk  of  Zanthoxylum  sp.,  showing  the  curious  flat- 

tened corky  prickles 154 

XV.  Base  of  trunk  of  Bombacopsis   Fendleri,   the  largest 
tree  of  Barro  Colorado  Island,  showing  the  buttresses. 

The  palm  is  Acanthorrhiza  Warscewiczii 156 

Base  of  a  trunk  of  Ouratea  Wrightii 156 

XVI.  Chara  Kenoyeri 160 

XVII.  Campylopus  hondurensis 349 

XVIII.  Bryum  Standleyi 352 

Bryum  bursiforme 352 

XIX.  Meesea  Ulei 360 

Rhynchostegium  patulum 360 


VI 


FIELD  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY. 
\ 

PUBLICATION  199. 

BOTANICAL  SERIES.  VOL.  IV,  No.  i 


NEW  SPECIES  OF  XANTHIUM 
AND  SOLI  DAGO. 


BY 


CHARLES  FREDERICK  MILLSPAUGH 

AND 

EARL  E.  SHERFF. 


CHARLES  FREDERICK  MILLSPAUGH 
Curator,  Department  of  Botany. 


CHICAGO,  U.  S.  A. 
April,  1918. 

Issued 
April  22,  1918 


NEW  SPECIES  OF  XANTHIUM  AND 
SOLIDAGO 


CHARLES  F.  MILLSPAUGH,  M.D.  and   EARL  E.  SHERFF,  Ph.D. 


XANTHIUM  (Tourn.)  L. 

In  determining  certain  specimens  of  Xanthium  in  the  Herbarium  of 
the  Field  Museum,  the  writers  have  found  the  taxonomic  status  of  this 
genus,  as  concerns  its  various  species,  to  be  very  unsatisfactory  at  the 
present  time.  Much  of  the  uncertainty  in  connection  with  several 
species  arises  from  the  difficulty  encountered  in  the  past  in  identifying 
the  older  specific  names,  names  that  in  a  number  of  cases,  at  least,  were 
founded  upon  heterogeneous  material  (cf.  E.  L.  Greene,  Pittonia  4:  58. 
1899;  also  T.  H.  Kearney,  Bull.  Torr.  Bot.  Club  24:  575.  1897). 
Another  source  of  confusion  in  herbaria  has  been  the  erroneous  identifi- 
cation of  new  and  undescribed  species  with  any  one  of  the  older,  more 
commonly  known  species.  Still  further,  we  must  note  the  well-known 
contempt  with  which  common  weeds  such  as  Xanthium  are  so  often 
regarded,  a  reason  that  explains  the  surprisingly  small  number  of 
herbarium  specimens  of  any  one  species  collected  heretofore  in  a  given 
region. 

In  1842,  Wallroth  (K.  F.  W.,  Beitrage  zur  Botanik  in:  229;  G.  G. 
Walpers,  Repert.  Bot.  Syst.  6:  150.  1846),  monographing  Xanthium, 
described  five  new  species  for  this  region  of  America.  One  of  these, 
X.  xanthocarpum,  described  as  having  tripartite  spines  and  coming 
from  fields  between  Staunton  and  Charlottesville,  Virginia,  is  easily 
recognized  as  being  Wallroth's  North  American  segregate  from  X. 
spinosum  L.  Under  X.  spinosum  L.,  Wallroth1  included  the  plants  of 
southern  Europe,  and  indeed  Linnaeus  himself  had  understood  this 
species  as  European  ("Habitat  in  Lusitania,  Monspelii."  Sp.  PI.  Edit. 
II:  1400.  1763).  But,  more  recently,  this  viewpoint  has  changed. 
Thus,  the  Index  Kewensis  terms  X.  spinosum  L.  "cosmopolitan." 
And  some  other  authorities  (e.  g.,  A.  Gray,  Synopt.  Fl.  N.  Amer.  in: 
253.  1884)  even  treat  it  as  a  tropical  American  species.  Wallroth's 
North  American  segregate  seems  to  have  been  ignored  uniformly  by  our 
manuals,  apparently  with  justice. 

1  We  rely  upon  Walpers'  Repertorium  (loc.  cit.)  for  Wallroth's  diagnoses,  etc. 

I 


2        FIELD  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY — BOTANY,  VOL.  IV. 

Wallroth's  other  four  species  have  been  accorded  various  inter- 
pretations by  different  authors,  only  one  species,  X.  pennsyhanicum, 
having  definitely  survived  the  several  reductions  to  synonomy.1  This 
species  appears  to  be  correctly  described  by  Britton  and  Brown  (Illustr. 
Fl.,  Edit.  II,  3:  346,  fig.  4137.  1913)  and  still  more  recently  by  Shull 
(Bot.  Gaz.  59:  476,  fig.  2.  1915).  Robinson  and  Fernald  (Gray's  Man., 
Edit.  VII,  829.  1908)  refer  X.  pennsyhanicum  Wallr.  doubtfully  to 
X.  canadense  Miller,  a  species  advanced  in  the  eighth  edition  of  Miller's 
Dictionary  but  equated  in  the  ninth  (posthumous)  edition  with  X. 
orientate  L.,  and  likewise  equated  recently  by  O.  Hoffmann  (Engl.  and 
Prantl  Naturl.  Pflanzenfamilien  4V:  223.  1894),  Britton  and  Brown 
(loc.  cit.),  and  others.  Shull  (loc.  cit.)  maintains  the  names  X.  pennsyl- 
vanicum  and  X.  canadense  separately  for  United  States  material  and 
illustrates  each.  But  by  X.  canadense  he  means  the  species  figured  by 
Britton  and  Brown  (loc.  cit.  fig.  4139)  as  X.  americanum  Walt.,  a  plant 
formerly  confused  with  the  European  X.  strumarium  L.2  To  us,  however, 
it  seems  safer  to  retain  the  name  X.  americanum  Walt,  and  to  reject  the 
name  X.  canadense  Miller,  at  least  until  a  thorough  and  painstaking 
revision  of  the  entire  genus  shall  have  been  made. 

In  the  Herbarium  of  Field  Museum  are  a  number  of  specimens 
which  are  clearly  conspecific  and  which  we  regard  as  X.  americanum 
Walt.  As  will  be  seen  below,  these  represent  a  range  extending  from 
Illinois  to  New  York,  south  to  Florida  and  west  to  Texas: 

Dr.  Geo.  Vasey,  Chicago,  111.  (Herb.  Field  Mus.  catalogue  no. 
467371);  Earl  E.  Sherff  1826,  prairie,  Chicago,  111.,  Aug.  30,  1912  (Herb. 
Field  Mus.  cat.  no.  435932);  F.  C.  Gates  10024,  Hancock  County,  111., 
Sept.  10,  1916  (Herb.  Field  Mus.  cat.  no.  472764);  Harry  N.  Patterson, 
vicinity  of  Oquawka,  111.  (Herb.  Field  Mus.  cat.  nos.  209229  and 
209230);  Elihu  Hall,  fields,  etc.,  Menard  Co.,  111.  (Herb.  Field  Mus. 
cat.  no.  206218);  idem,  111.  (Herb.  Field  Mus.  cat.  no.  453866);  A.  B. 
Burgess  365,  pasture,  Prairie  Rhonde,  Mich.,  Sept.  27,  1903  (Herb. 
Field  Mus.  cat.  no.  144710);  Dr.  Chas.  F.  Millspaugh,  banks  of  the 
Susquehanna  River,  Vestal,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  10, 1886  (Herb.  Field  Mus.  cat. 
no.  18744);  Dr.  J.  T.  Rothrock,  streets,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Sept.  22,  1877 
(Herb.  Field  Mus.  cat.  no.  320565);  A.  A.  Heller,  on  Little  Conestoga 
near  Stoneroad's  Mill,  Lancaster  Co.,  Pa.,  Oct.  5,  1901  (Herb.  Field 

1  It  must  be  remarked,  however,  that  Wallroth's  treatment  of  the  genus,  regard- 
less of  its  merit  or  demerit,  appears  to  have  received  all  too  scanty  a  study.  Gray 
(loc.  cit.)  omits  all  mention  of  Wallroth's  names  and  so  appears  to  have  overlooked 
them  entirely. 

1  In  passing,  we  note  Shull  to  say  "it  is  now  known  that  X.  strumarium  has  never 
been  introduced  into  America."  But  in  1912,  Fernald  (Rhodora  14:  239.)  reported 
finding  a  single  large  plant  of  "true  X.  strumarium"  growing  at  Revere,  Massa- 
chusetts. 


APRIL,  1918.    XANTHIUM  AND  SOLIDAGO — MILLSPAUGH  &  SHERFF.     3 

Mus.  cat.  no.  430064);  Dr.  Arthur  Schott,  near  Georgetown,  D.  C., 
Sept.  6,  1863  (Herb.  Field  Mus.  cat.  no.  44074);  /.  M.  Greenman  538, 
along  the  river  near  Tygart  Junction,  Barbour  Co.,  W.  Va.,  Sept.  24, 
1904  (Herb.  Field  Mus.  cat.  no.  345709);  A.  S.  Hitchcock,  Key  West, 
Fla.,  Mar.  28-30,  1906  (Herb.  Field  Mus.  cat.  no.  230307);  anonymus, 
Lake  City,  Fla.  (Herb.  Fla.  Agri.  Coll.  no.  1279,  Herb.  Field  Mus.  cat. 
no.  234909);  Royal  A.  Diocon  40,  Huntsville,  Texas,  June  3-12,  1908 
(Herb.  Field  Mus.  cat.  no.  237976). 

A  study  of  the  specimens  in  the  above  list  shows  X.  americanum 
to  have  for  its  fruiting  involucre  a  bur  distinctly  ovoid  in  shape,  1.2-1.5 
cm.  long  (exclusive  of  the  beaks),  the  beaks  straight  or  nearly  so,  and 
the  entire  body  tending  to  be,  aside  from  its  prickles,  more  or  less 
glabrous;  the  prickles  are  straight  from  the  base  almost  to  the  apex, 
where  they  are  usually  hooked.  On  comparison  with  these  specimens, 
we  find  three  sheets  of  material  that  show  striking  departures  in  certain 
directions,  and  a  fourth  bearing  material  that  is  more  properly  com- 
parable with  X.  pennsylvanicum  Wallr.,  from  which  it  differs,  however, 
in  several  important  respects.  As  all  four  of  these  specimens  are  com- 
pletely irreconcilable  with  any  form  of  Xanthium  known  to  us,  they 
are  described  herewith  as  representing  new  species: 

Xanthium  leptocarpum  Millspaugh  &  SherfE  sp.  nov.  PL  I,  &  Vff.  i  &  5. 

Herba  annua,  3-5  dm.  alta;  caule  inermi,  superne  scabro.  Folia 
alterna,  circumambitu  plus  minusve  deltoidea  et  trilobata,  margine 
dentata,  basi  triplinervia  et  cordata  aut  subtruncata,  utrimque  setulis 
adpressis  vestita,  infra  sed  non  supra  minute  reticulata,  petiolata, 
petiolis  adjectis  7-19  cm.  longa,  petiolis  tenuibus  et  laminis  subae- 
quantibus.  Fructus  multi,  4-12  simul  congregati,  anguste  cylindrico- 
fusiformi,  badii,  superne  sensim  angustati  et  in  duo  rostra  arcuata 
distantia  producti,  exteriore  facie  18-40  aculeis  (2-3  aut  rare-4  mm. 
longis)  armati,  pubescentes  et  numerosis  punctis  resinae  punctati  uti 
bases  aculeorum  et  rostrorum;  rostris  et  aculeis  ad  apicem  hamosis, 
rostris  crassioribus  et  paulo  longioribus;  fructus  corpore  (rostris  non 
adjectis)  1.3-1.6  cm.  longo,  3.5-5  mm.  crasso.  Achaenia  2 ;  maiore  circum 
1.8  cm.  longo  et  4  mm.  lato,  3-costato,  levi,  base  acuminate,  rostro 
abrupte  mucronulato. 

L.  R.  Jones,  Burlington,  Vermont,  September  12,  1896  (type  in 
Herb.  Field  Museum,  cat.  no.  430860). 

This  species  is  very  distinct  in  the  appearance  of  its  fruiting  in- 
volucres. These  have  a  reddish-brown  or  chestnut  color  and  are  nar- 
rowly cylindric-fusiform,  not  ovoid.  The  prickles  are  very  few  in 
number  (18-40)  and  noticeably  far  apart. 


4        FIELD  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY — BOTANY,  VOL.  IV. 

Xanihium  oligacanthum  Piper,  a  far-western  species  described  from 
Washington,  appears  from  its  description  to  be  nearest  this  species. 
But  X.  oligacanthum  is  described  as  having  the  fruiting  involucres 
5-7  mm.  thick,  not  only  3.5-5  mm.  thick  as  in  our  species. 

Xanthium  arcuatum  Millspaugh  &  Sherff  sp.  nov.  PI.  II,  &  V  ff.  2  &  6. 

Herba  annua,  caule  inermi,  habitu  X.  leptocarpo  non  dissimilis; 
foliis  infra  minute  et  subobscure  reticulatis  et  resina  punctatis.  Fructus 
pauciores  et  crassiores,  2-4  simul  congregati,  anguste  ovati,  apice  rostris 
et  facie  exteriore  numerosis  (100-170)  aculeis  armati;  rostris  rectis  aut 
minime  arcuatis,  apice  hamosis,  3.5-5  mm.  longis,  non  pubescentibus 
sed  infra  puncta  resinae  ferentibus;  aculeis  tenuibus  (subrectis  aut) 
maximam  partem  arcuatis,  plus  minusve  rubro-purpureo  tinctis,  4-6 
mm.  longis,  apice  hamosis,  infra  resiniferis  ut  corpus;  corpore  (rostris 
non  adjectis)  demum  1.3-1.5  cm.  longo  et  5-6  mm.  crasso.  Achenia  2; 
maiore  circum  1.8  cm.  longo  et  5  mm.  lato,  3-costato,  levi,  base  obtuse 
orbiculato,  rostro  abrupte  aristato. 

T.  F.  Lucy,  river  shores  and  low  places,  Chemung  County,  New  York, 
October  n,  1896  (type  in  Herb.  Field  Museum,  cat.  no.  4953). 

Not  only  are  the  burs  more  or  less  of  a  decidedly  reddish-purple  shade, 
but  the  prickles  are  very  numerous  and  are  mainly  flexed  or  arcuate 
from  the  base  to  the  apical  hook,  not  straight  as  in  X.  americanum. 
The  burs  suggest  those  of  X.  inflexum  Mack.  &  Bush,  but  are  smaller, 
of  more  delicate  structure  and  do  not  have  strongly  incurved  beaks. 

Xanthium  cylindricum  Millspaugh  &  Sherff  sp.  nov.  PI.  Ill,  &  V  ff .  3  &  7. 

Herba,  veri  similiter  annua;  caule  inermi.  Folia  magna,  alterna, 
quibusdam  foliis  Hibisci  militaris  Cav.  simillima,  circumambitu  sub- 
deltoideo-ovata,  trilobata  (et  fere  hastata)  aut  quinquelobata,  margine 
dentata,  basi  triplinervia  et  cordata  aut  subtruncata,  membranacea, 
scabra  aut  tactui  etiam  fere  levia,  minute  sed  perspicue  reticulata, 
setulis  adpressis  vestita,  infra  paucis  punctis  resinae  punctata,  petiolis 
adjectis  1.3-2.5  dm.  longa,  petiolis  tenuibus  et  laminis  subaequantibus. 
Fructus  multi,  3-8  simul  congregati,  cylindrico-fusiformi,  rubro-badii, 
rostris  et  aculeis  armati,  punctis  minutis  resinae  punctati,  aliter  glabri; 
duobus  rostris  arcuatis,  ad  apicem  hamosis,  4-5  mm.  longis;  aculeis 
(100-150)  tenuibus,  rubro-badiis,  ad  apicem  hamosis,  2.5-3.5  mm- 
longis;  corpore  (rostris  non  adjectis)  1.4-1.6  cm.  longo,  4-5  mm.  crasso. 
Achenia  2;  maiore  circum  1.5  cm.  longo  et  3  mm.  lato,  3-costato,  levi, 
base  acute  orbiculato,  apice  sensim  in  rostrum  mucronulatum  producto. 

J.  K.  Small  and  A.M.  Huger,  Chimney  Rock  to  Hendersonville,  North 
Carolina,  October  3, 1901  (type  in  Herb.  Field  Museum,  cat.  no.  401312). 


APRIL,  1918.    XANTHIUM  AND  SOLIDAGO  —  MILLSPAUGH  &  SHERFF.     5 

The  unique  character  of  the  foliage  stamps  this  species  as  most 
interesting.  The  leaves  are  remarkably  like  many  of  those  met  with 
on  Hibiscus  militaris  Cav.,  and  undoubtedly  give  the  species  an 
appearance  in  the  field  unlike  that  of  any  other  North  American 
species.  The  burs  have  a  body  distinctly  cylindrical,  not  ovoid,  and 
the  beaks  are  curved. 

Xanthium  crassifolium  Millspaugh  &  Sherff  sp.  nov.  PL  IV,  &  Vfif.  4  &  8. 

Herba,  veri  similiter  annua;  caule  inermi,  superne  setulis  albis 
(caulem  inferiorem  non  vidimus)  scabro.  Folia  alterna,  crassa  et  non 
membranacea,  circumambitu  subdeltoidea  et  tri-aut  quinquelobata 
(et  foliis  quarumdam  Malvacearum,  exempli  gratia  Sphaeralcea  remota 
(Greene)  Fernald  et  Althaea  officinalis  L.,  simillima),  basi  triplinervia, 
multis  setulis  albis  adpressis  scabra,  numerosis  punctis  parvis  resinae 
punctata,  petiolata,  petiolis  adjectis  5-17  cm.  longa,  petiolis  laminis 
subaequantibus;  nullis  areolis  reticulatis  manifestis  supra  aut  infra. 
Fructus  singulatim  aut  2-3  simul  dispositi,  anguste  aut  sublate  cylin- 
drico-fusiformi,  badii,  superne  sensim  duo  rostra  arcuata  et  hamosa 
producti;  exteriore  facie  120-180  hamosis  aculeis  (3.5-5  mm.  longis  et 
rostris  subaequantibus)  armati,  pilosi  et  resina  punctati  ut  aculei  ad 
basim  et  rostra  infra;  fructus  corpore  (rostris  non  adjectis)  demum 
1.7-1.8  cm.  longo  et  6-7.5  mm.  crasso;  rostris  4-6  mm.  longis.  Achenia 
2  ;  maiore  circum  2  cm.  longo  et  6  mm.  lato,  5-costato,  transverse  rugoso, 
in  suum  basem  orbiculatum  et  in  rostri  basem  latum  angustato  abrupte. 

B.  Mackensen  123,  San  Antonio,  Texas,  October  8  and  November 
15,  1911  (type  in  Herb.  Field  Museum,  cat.  no.  324122);  Dr.  ]  .  Gregg, 
457,  Sept.  20,  sine  loc.1  (Herb.  Missouri  Botanical  Garden,  no. 


In  certain  characters,  this  species  seems  nearest  Xanthium  bubalo- 
carpon  Bush,  which  is  described,  however,  as  having  the  burs  ovoid, 
2.5-4  cm.  long  ("including  the  short  beaks"),  and  2-3  cm.  thick  ("in- 
cluding the  prickles"),  the  beaks  6-8  mm.  long  and  the  burs  even  much 
exceeding  in  size  those  of  X.  speciosum  Kearney,  —  a  species  with  burs 
broader  than  those  of  X.  crassifolium? 

In  addition  to  the  above  four  new  species,  represented  in  the 
herbarium  of  this  museum,  we  find  still  another  among  the  specimens 
belonging  to  the  herbarium  of  the  Missouri  Botanical  Garden: 

1  His  numeration  appears,  however,  to  place  this  in  Mexico. 

2  On  going  to  press  we  have  received  a  delayed  consignment  of  plants  from  the 
Missouri  Botanical  Garden.    Among  these  is  the  type  material  of  X.  bubalocarpon 
which  we  find  strikingly  distinct:  its  mammoth  burs  are  not  only  much  larger  but 
more  closely  and  bristly  echinate  than  those  of  X.  crassifolium  and  the  leaves  are 
larger  and  thinner. 


6        FIELD  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY — BOTANY,  VOL.  IV. 

Xanthium  acutilobum  Millspaugh  &  Sherff,  sp.  nov. 

Herba,  veri  similiter  annua;  caule  inermi,  superne  setulis  albis 
scabro,  setulorum  basibus  tuberculato-crassatis.  Folia  alterna,  sub- 
membranacea,  circumambitu  subhastato-triangulata,  acute  3-y-lobata 
et  dentata,  basi  triplinervia  et  cordata  aut  truncata,  utrimque  setulis 
albis  adpressis  vestita  et  non  minutissime  reticulata,  petiolata,  petiolis 
adjectis  0.6-2.2  dm.  longa,  petiolis  tenuibus  et  laminis  subaequantibus. 
Fructus  non  numerosi,  maximam  partem  singulatim  dispositi,  ovato- 
cylindrici,  superne  sensim  in  duo  rostra  producti  (rostris  minime  arcua- 
tis,  ad  apicem  hamosis),  demum  badii;  exteriore  facie  120-180  hamosis 
aculeis  (qui  3-4.5  mm.  longi  et  infra  non  solum  resiniferi  sed  etiam 
sparsim  pilosi  sunt)  armati,  numerosis  punctis  resinae  punctati;  fructus 
corpore  (rostris  non  adjectis)  demum  circum  1.6  cm.  longo  et  5-6  mm. 
crasso;  rostris  infra  hispidis,  circum  5  mm.  longis.  Achenia  2;  maiore 
circum  2.1  cm.  longo  et  5  mm.  lato;  tergo  levi  sed  altero  facie  5-costato, 
corpore  sensim  in  basem  acutum  et  apicem  mucronatum  angustato. 

J.  Reverchon,  Oak  Cliff,  Texas,  September  2  (type  in  Herb.  Missouri 
Botanical  Garden  no.  85603;  duplicate  sheets  in  the  same  herbarium 
bear  the  numbers  85470  and  85485). 

The  privilege  of  examining  the  Xanthium  sheets  of  the  Missouri 
Botanical  Garden  comes  to  us  too  late  to  allow  of  the  preparation  of  an 
illustrative  plate  of  this  species  in  time  for  this  publication.  In  fruiting 
involucres  X.  acutilobum  resembles  X.  crassifolium,  from  which  it  is  very 
distinct,  however,  in  its  different-shaped,  thinner,  and  much  larger 
leaves  and  in  the  characters  of  the  achene. 

SOLIDAGO  L. 

In  the  summer  of  1917,  a  peculiar  specimen  of  Solidago  came  to  our 
notice.  It  had  been  collected  by  Isaac  Holton  near  Morris,  Illinois, 
September  13,  1850,  and  during  all  the  years  since  then  had  remained 
with  merely  the  name  Solidago  upon  its  label.  In  its  inflorescence  it 
suggested  at  once  5.  speciosa  Nutt.,  especially  the  smaller  form  of  that 
species  often  termed  var.  angustata  T.  &  G.  (5.  rigidiuscula  Porter). 
But  the  heads  were  noticeably  smaller  than  heads  of  the  same  degree 
of  maturity  in  any  material  of  S.  speciosa.  The  leaves  did  not  possess 
the  pronounced  reticulation  that  is  so  characteristic  of  the  leaves  of 
S.  speciosa;  and,  what  was  still  more  striking,  the  lower  leaves  were 
cuneate-oblanceolate  in  outline  and  distinctly  notched  at  the  apex. 

By  reference  to  other  material  collected  by  Holton  on  the  same 
day,  it  was  learned  that  he  had  collected  at  least  one  plant  that  day 
along  the  Illinois-Michigan  canal  (Aster  sericeus  Vent.).  Trips  were 
made  to  Morris  on  September  8  and  September  23,  1917,  for  the  express 


APRIL,  1918.    XANTHIUM  AND  SOLIDAGO — MILLSPAUGH  &  SHERFF.    7 

purpose  of  collecting  once  more,  if  possible,  this  interesting  Solidago.  An 
aggregate  distance  of  nearly  twenty-five  miles  was  traveled  on  foot 
in  that  vicinity,  special  attention  being  given  to  the  flora  along  the  now 
abandoned  canal  and  the  railroad  rights-of-way.  Elsewhere  the  land 
either  was  under  intensive  cultivation  (or  pasturage),  or  was  swampy 
and  unsuited  to  a  species  presumably  of  the  prairie.  Even  the  roadsides 
were  found  in  most  cases  to  have  had  their  native  flora  more  or  less 
entirely  exterminated  in  the  past  by  mowing.1  A  careful  search  failed 
to  reveal  the  plant.  We  fear  that  the  rapid  commercial  and  agricultural 
development  of  the  land  about  Morris,  during  the  few  years  subsequent 
to  the  opening  of  the  Illinois-Michigan  Canal  in  1848,2  may  have  ren- 
dered this  species  extinct. 

That  a  permanent  record  of  the  plant  may  be  left,  we  present  a 
rather  full  taxonomic  description: 

Solidago  emarginata  Millspaugh  &  Sherff  sp.  nov.    PI.  VI. 

Herba,  perennis  (?),  =*=  5  dm.  alta,  simplex  (forsan  ad  basim  ramosa). 
Caulis  infra  subglaber,  superne  pubescens.  Folia  alterna,  non  petiolata, 
glabra  sed  margine  ciliata,  non  perspicue  reticulata;  inferiora  cuneato- 
oblanceolata,  ad  basim  angustata  sensim,  ad  apicem  valde  et  perspicue 
emarginata  sinu  1-4  mm.  alto,  2-7  cm.  longa  et  6-9  mm.  lata;  superiora 
linearia  aut  lineari-lanceolata,  utrimque  acuminata,  3-7  cm.  longa  et 
4-8  mm.  lata,  summa  cum  fasciculis  axillaribus  foliolorum.  Inflores- 
centia  thyrsiforma,  =*=  2  dm.  longa;  racemis  multis,  gracilibus,  suberectis, 
2-7  cm.  longis;  ramulis  tenuibus  et  pubescentibus.  Capitula  (immatura) 
oblonga,  2-3.5  mm-  alta;  bracteis  3-4-seriatis,  lineari-oblongis,  non  nisi 
ad  apicem  pubescentibus,  obtusis,  ad  tergum  subcarinatis,  exterioribus 
sensim  brevioribus;  radiis  non  observatis;  disci  flosculis  circum  10; 
pappi  setis  in  ovario  scabridis. 

/.  F.  Holton,  near  Morris,  Illinois,  September  13,  1850  (type  Herb. 
University  of  Chicago,  in  Herb.  Field  Museum  cat.  no.  368080). 

1  Concerning  the  peculiar  conditions  that  have  been  tending  toward  the  exter- 
mination of  our  native  prairie  species  in  Illinois,  see  E.  S.  Steele,  Contrib.  U.  S.  Nat. 
Herb.  13:  360.  1911. 

*  For  various  data  connected  with  Morris  and  vicinity,  consult  C.  O.  Sauer,  111. 
State  Geol.  Surv.  Bull.  27,  1916. 


FIELD   MUSEUM   OF   NATURAL   HISTORY. 


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BOTANY  VOL.    IV,   PLATE  V. 


1  and  5,  X.  leptocarpum  3  and  7,  X.  cylindricum 

2  and  6,  X.  arcuatum  4  and  8,  X.  crassifolium 

(All  enlarged  1A  diameter) 


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